A Seattle chef will be heading to Portland, Oregon to show off his skills in the upcoming season of Top Chef.
Seattle Met said Shota Nakajima is taking on 14 other chefs and culinary artists from across the country, including returning competitors. Previous Seattle chefs that competed on the show include Jason Stratton and Carrie Mashaney.
Nakajima opened two restaurants in the Emerald City area such as Adana and Taku, which is on a bit of a hiatus, according to reporters. The chef was born in Japan but raised in Bellevue. His cooking technique and dishes have landed him on the list for James Beard Foundation's Rising Star award a few times, as well.
“There’s a big part of me that carries Japan on my back,” Nakajima tells the camera in the Top Chef promo.
At 25 years old, Nakajima opened his kaiseki restaurant, Naka, on Capitol Hill in 2015. He later reworked it into the more casual Adana a year and a half later, Seattle Met reported.
This season of the Bravo show was also filmed in a pandemic-induced bubble. Top Chef: Portland will air on Thursday, April 1, at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.
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